CHARITY AND CONFLICT.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest
of these is charity.--1 COR. xiii. 13.
Another characteristic of this Divine Charity is, that it OFTEN
INVOLVES CONFLICT.
It was so with our Lord. He was the very personification of it. He
was love itself, and grace and truth poured from His lips
incessantly. His blessed feet went about doing good, and His hands
ministering to the necessities and happiness of His creatures, yet
His whole course through this degenerate world was one of conflict,
opposition, and persecution. His proper mission was to bring peace on
earth; but the result of it was a sword! Why? That was not His fault.
He would, doubtless, have enjoyed being at peace with all men, as His
ambassador exhorts us--"as much as lieth in us to be." More, He was
the Prince of Peace! Then, how was it that wherever He went, there
was sword, opposition, and conflict to the death? Because men
_resisted_ and _rejected_ His Divine and Heavenly ministrations. They
would not hear His rebukes and His teaching, because they condemned
them. They would not listen to His voice, because they were of their
father the devil, and the works of their father they would do; and,
therefore, they went about to persecute Him, and to kill Him.
This was the reason--not that _He_ wanted it to be so, but it
was the consequence of their resistance to the beautiful, heavenly,
and Divine truths which He taught; and it is just so now, with the
same truth, and the living embodiments of such truth. JESUS CHRIST
COME IN THE FLESH AGAIN IN HIS PEOPLE, living out before the world
His principles, acting upon His precepts, living for the same objects
for which He lived, will produce, exactly and everywhere, the same
result. It must be so while men are divided into two classes--the
righteous and the wicked--those who are born of the flesh, and those
who are born of the Spirit. One must either give in, or there must be
perpetual conflict and warfare. It was so with the Saviour, and so,
perhaps, with some of us.
I think this is often a snare to God's really sincere people. I
think some of God's people are afraid; they don't like the feeling
that their hand is against every man, and every man's hand against
them, or nearly so. They do not like the feeling of isolation; they
do not like being compelled to take a course which nearly all the
Christian professors round about them condemn, and make out to be
uncharitable, and they often examine themselves to see whether it is
possible that they may be going wrong in following the Divine Spirit.
They say with Jeremiah, and with the Jeremiahs of every age, "Woe is
me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of
contention to the whole earth!" They are as "speckled birds, against
whom all the birds round about are gathered." They feel this
opposition and conflict deeply, but what are they to do? Very often,
in following the leadings of the Divine Spirit, it is impossible for
us to avoid such consequences. We have to march through troops of
opposing forces. We have to become the subjects of almost universal
suspicion. But what then? Must we give in? Must we decline to tread
in the bloodstained footsteps of the Captain of our salvation? Must
we decline the honor of being in the advance guard of the Lamb's army
because of the conflict, because of the pain, because of the
persecution? Nay, nay; let us hold on, those here, who are thus led
by the Divine Spirit into paths which involve conflict with
everybody. Follow on, brother! follow on, sister!
There is no point on which those who want to come out thoroughly for
God, suffer more than oh this. They continually say, "You see, my
friends"--they are Christian, friends--"my friends object." People
come, to see me, or they write that the Spirit of God has been urging
them into a certain course, for months or years, and they are held
back by the opinions and wishes, perhaps, of parents, or of brothers
and sisters, or uncles, or aunts, or Christian friends.
_I believe it will be found, in the great day of account, that
there have been more blessed enterprises crushed, more leadings of
the Holy Ghost disobeyed, more urgings of the Spirit quenched,
through the influence of what are called Christian friends, than all
other influences put together. "Suffer me first to go and bury my
father," is an everlasting standing excuse for those whom, the Lord
calls on in advance paths of Christian service! Oh, my friends, I am
sure of it. Look out, you fathers and mothers, you brothers and
sisters, and aunts!_
Do not misunderstand me. Carefully weigh, probe, and examine, before
God, your impressions and desires. Go into your closet, spread them
there before the Lord. Lay them out, examine your own heart. Be sure
there is no self-interest, no vain glory, no desire to be great, or
to do some out-of-the-way thing. Be as clear as you like; be
satisfied, in your own mind, that it is God's call, and then let
fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, husbands, or wives complain--but
go forward, my brother, and God will justify you. If, twenty years
ago, I had stopped for Christian friends to sanction and to open the
door, I should have waited till today, and the number of souls God,
in His infinite mercy, has given me, I should not have gathered. But
I did not wait for anybody's sanction to my Lord and Master's call;
but said, "Lord, if I die in attempting it, I will do it." He seldom
lets people die in attempting His will. He stands by them, and gives
them abundant fruit.
A lady said to me the other day, "You know my father is a Christian,
and I am so afraid of going opposite to him." "Yes," I said, "that is
quite a right feeling; I respect that feeling in you." But she was a
woman of considerably matured age, and I added, "But is your father
awake to the interests of God's kingdom as he ought to be?" She
replied, "I dare not say he is." "I suppose," I said "he is
comparatively old--a sort of dried-up Christian, who has lost the
vigor and enterprise of his youthful days, when he wanted to go out
and make everybody Christian?" "Yes," she said, "he has gone sadly
behind in his zeal for the kingdom of Jesus Christ." "Now," I said,
"God holds you responsible, just as He holds any other being. _He
has not two codes-one for men and one for women._ There will be no
two judgment seats, whatever men do here. God will hold you
responsible for obedience to the teaching of His Spirit, and the
leading of His providence, as much as your brother. What shall you
say? You will be in the position of the man who said, 'Suffer me
first to go and bury my father.'" She said, "I am afraid I shall."
Now, I say, let us settle this, you Protestant Christians here.
Because Catholicism has abused this principle, that a man is to leave
his father and mother, and houses and lands, if needs be, is that any
reason that we Protestants are to give it up? And has it come to
this, that a man has only to follow Christ when everybody approves it
--cries "Amen"--and when his own interests appear to him to be
secured by so doing? Then, if it were so, I would give up religion
altogether, and go and enjoy myself. I said to a lady, "When you
married yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ, you put yourself in the
same position as you would to an earthly husband." What woman in the
world would feel that she ought to obey father and mother, rather
than her husband? Ridiculous! Much less is she to obey her father, if
her father's wishes are exactly contrary to the Divine teaching. She
is only to obey IN THE LORD, and yet thousands of fathers and mothers
are preventing their children working for God. Oh! what will you say
to God when your precious children stand at His bar, without the
sheaves they might have gathered, and the souls they might have won?
What will you say to Him? And why do you hold them back? Oh, the
mean, paltry considerations that you would be ashamed to own before
this congregation! Is it for fear of suffering? Not in many
instances; but, even if it were, did you bargain with Jesus Christ
when you gave yourself and children to Him, that they were not to
suffer for Him? Is it because of your pride?--because you want for
them this world's applause and favor? Look out! God has wonderful
ways of chastising His people in those very things in which they sell
His interest. But you say that "everybody will be against you!" Yes,
very likely. Let us settle that at once. Count all things dung and
dross. Let none of these things move you. You say, "It will be a life
of conflict to the end." Very likely, so was His. "I am so weak," you
say. He knows all about that. You say, "It will be so cutting to have
people saying this, and saying the other." I know it is cutting, but
that is the path He calls you to tread, and He will give you grace to
bear the cutting. "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, falsely,
for my sake;" and, "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy
are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you."
He does not show where He is leading us, so we can only go a step at
a time. The future may look dark, but let us be fully persuaded in
our own minds that the step in advance is the step the Lord wants us
to take--then take it, and leave the future with Him. Come out, as
Abraham did, not knowing whither you go; and, as sure as He sits upon
the throne, He will vindicate your course, and, perhaps, the very
things that you sacrifice, or that you think you sacrifice, for Him,
He will give you, as the reward of your faithfulness.
Oh, have I not known many such instances. I have known daughters who
have been turned out of their father's houses for following the
leadings of the Spirit of God, and who have endured all sorts of
persecution, and trial, and suffering, and those fathers, when they
were dying, would have nobody else to pray with them but that
individual daughter. The way to win the souls of parents is by a
consistent, steadfast, holy consecration to the Lord Jesus; whereas,
if you pander, and trim, and hesitate, you will miss the reward. Do
you think people do not know when we are inconsistent? Oh, yes, they
know quite well, and they say, "That is not the right sort of
religion;" but you be consistent and thorough, and God will honor
these very means to the winning of the souls about whom you are so
concerned.
Further, a false Charity shrinks from opposition. It cannot bear
persecution. Now, here is one unfailing characteristic of a false
Charity: _it is always on the winning side_--that is, apparently, down
here; not what will be, ultimately, the winning side. When Truth sits
enthroned, with a crown on her head, this false Charity is most
vociferous in her support and devotion; but when her garments trail in
the dust, and her followers are few, feeble, and poor, then Jesus Christ
may look after Himself. I sometimes think respecting this hue and cry
about the glory of God and the sanctity of religion, I would like to see
some of these saints put into the common hall with Jesus again, amongst
a band of ribald, mocking, soldiers. I would like to see, then, their
zeal for the glory of God, when it touched their own glory. They are
wonderfully zealous when their glory and His glory go together; but,
when the mob is at His heels, crying, "Away with Him!--crucify
Him!--crucify Him!"--then He may look after His own glory, and they will
take care of theirs.
True Charity sticks to the LORD JESUS IN THE MUD, when He is
fainting under His cross, as well as when the people are cutting down
the boughs and crying "Hosanna!" I fear many people make the Lord
Jesus Christ a stalking-horse on which to secure their ends. God
grant us not to be of that number, for, if we are, He will topple us
from the very gates of Heaven down to the nethermost hell. This false
Charity cannot go to the dungeon--you never find it at the stake. It
always manages to shift its sides, and change its face, before it
goes as far as that. Never in disgrace; never with Jesus Christ in
the minority, at Golgotha--on the cross. Always with Him when He is
riding triumphant!
Oh, I often think if times of persecution were to come again how
many of us would be faithful? How many would go to the dungeon? How
many would stand by the truth, with hooting, howling mobs at our
heels, such as followed Him on the way to the cross--such as stood
round His cross and spat upon Him, and cast lots for His vesture, and
parted His garments among them, and wagged their heads and cried, "He
saved others; Himself He cannot save"? How many of us would stick to
Him then? But, as your soul and mine liveth, that is the only kind of
love that will stand the test of the Judgment Day.
Oh, have you got this Charity? Love in the darkness; Love in the
Garden; Love in sorrow; Love in suffering; Love in isolation; Love in
persecution; Love to the death!--Have we got this love? Examine
yourselves, beloved, and see whether you are in the faith or not, for
there is much need of it in this day, when there are so many false
gospels and so much false doctrine;--when we hear so much about being
"complete in Him" by people who never were in Him at all, and no more
understand what it means than the very kitten that lies on their
hearth. I say, examine yourself, whether you be in the faith or not,
and whether you are in Him; for, verily, it is no easier now to be
His real followers than ever it was.
Further, a false Charity _refuses to call things by their proper
names!_ Oh! what endless ways it has of putting lying! lying that
is done on this day by professing Christians! Oh, the nice,
comfortable, self-indulgent ways it has of looking at ungodly trades
and practices! What do I mean? I mean trades that cannot be made
subservient to the interest of the kingdom of Christ; trades that
thrive by ministering either to the vile passions of human nature, or
to the ungodliness of human nature. By what nice names it calls
Satanic traffics in the bodies, hearts, and souls of men! And, when
Divine Charity remonstrates with it, it turns round and says, "Well,
you know, but we must have regard to our own interests; we have large
interests at stake." I sometimes say, "God knows you have! and, when
the Judge riseth up to avenge those who have been oppressed and
destroyed by your iniquitous traffics, you will find them sadly TOO
LARGE, TOO BIG FOR THE HELL ITSELF TO CONTAIN."
The Lord have mercy on any of you who are living on the follies or
wickedness of your fellow-men. Make haste to get out of such trades.
Wash your hands of them, for, depend upon it, that is the devil's
Charity that would try to make you comfortable in them! It has
nothing to do with Divine Charity.
"Oh, my soul, come not into their secret; unto their assembly, mine
honor, be not thou united," but stand aloof from all such alliances
of light with darkness, of truth with falsehood; "have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness," "For behold the day cometh
that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do
wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them
up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root
nor branch." He is the same God; He changes not! Let us call things
by their right names. Let us face the evil. Let us chase it out of
the world--or, at any rate, chase it out of the church. Depend upon
it, the Lord is going to prove all things. I can hear, as it were,
the rumbling of the earthquake of the Divine indignation underground,
I can see the gathering of the Divine wrath overhead; and, IF THIS
NATION DOES NOT REPENT, AND IF THE CHURCHES OF THIS LAND DO NOT COME
OUT AND WASH THEIR HANDS OF THESE THINGS, GOD WILL SEND US SUCH A
BAPTISM OF BLOOD AS WE HAVE NEVER CONCEIVED OF, AND HE WILL PUT US
OUT, and put some other nation in our place, or else He will act
contrary to all His former dealings with nations! Do you suppose that
Jerusalem was more guilty than we are? Have we not been exalted much
higher than Jerusalem ever was? And have we not sinned against
greater light and privilege than ever she did? Are not our professed
Christians exactly the same in character as her Pharisees? Do they
not make fine and long prayers, and, at the same time, devour the
widow and fatherless? Yea, for hellish gain, do they not make widows
and orphans wholesale? Might not God truly say of us, "Ah, sinful
nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children
that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked
the Holy One of Israel unto anger: they are gone away backward." Even
the prophets prophesy falsely, and the people love to have it so!
Do you say, "No, we are not so _bad?"_ I answer, look abroad
over the land, open your eyes, observe and see. Has it not become
proverbial--have you not heard it until your ears have tingled, and
your face burned with shame--"Better go and deal with anybody than a
Christian"? and, alas! has there not been much ground for it? Have we
any need to wonder that infidels wag their heads? Can you go into a
shop where you are sure you will not be extortioned? Do you know
anybody who keeps a conscience with respect to the profits he makes?
Is there anybody scarcely who won't charge his neighbor more than the
article is worth, if he has a chance, and call it lawful? _That_
is extortion. It may be only asking twopence for an article worth a
penny, or a 1,000 pounds for what 700 pounds should buy; it does not
matter the amount--it is EXTORTION!
God puts extortioners amongst the blackest of sinners. The Lord help
me to "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on
the things of others," and have the Charity that will not take a mean
advantage of my neighbor because I have the chance, and thus traduce
the precious name of the Holy Jesus by calling myself one of His
followers. It is time this satanic Charity was swept out! The very
first law, the very vital principle of true Charity, is _righteousness._
There is no Charity apart from righteousness. If your Charity is
incompatible with righteousness, it is born of the devil and leads to
hell!
If you have had anything revealed to you, in your heart or life,
that you see to be wrong, say, "Here Lord, pour the light in; I am so
glad You have shown this thing to me while there is time to alter it.
Now bring your dissecting knife, and cut it away, even if the roots
go deep down into my very heart's core. I will have it out." Will
you? Will you be made true, straight, clean? Will you be made Divine?
Will you be filled with the pure, holy love of God towards God, and
towards men, and all beings? That is what the Lord wants you to have.
This is what He has sent His Son to do. No subterfuge; no make-believe
work to get you into Heaven as you are; but He wants to make
you as He wants you to be, and _He can do it._ The Great
Physician is able, He is willing, He has got love enough, and power
enough and grace enough to do it for you. Confide all your heart to
Him. Will you have this Divine Charity wrought in you? It will make
you willing to suffer, to endure hardness, and shame, and contempt,
and persecution. It will make you willing to do anything that human
nature can do, and endure anything that human nature can suffer, that
you may accomplish the same purposes that He came to accomplish, that
you may help onward the progress of His glorious kingdom.